The State Board of Elections is partnering with the United States Postal Service, the Department of Defense, and local County Clerks to expedite the delivery of absentee ballots to and from military post offices overseas for this year’s general election.

“Our military service men and women are on the front lines defending our country and our freedoms, including our right to vote,” stated Secretary of State Trey Grayson who serves as Chairman of the State Board of Elections.  “It is essential that these brave men and women have every opportunity to cast their ballot in the upcoming election.  This service will help ensure that ballots from our soldiers overseas are received in a timely manner.”

Because the United States has military personnel located throughout the world, mailing and receiving ballots can take a significant amount of time.  To identify mail containing ballots for the General Election, the new service will use special facing slips on Express Mail bags headed to Postal processing facilities. The mail will be expeditiously forwarded to the appropriate location.

Harold Conley, APO/FPO coordinator for the Postal Service’s Kentuckiana District said, “The right to vote is a fundamental right of all Americans.  This coordinated effort to deliver ballots to our military personnel overseas is ensuring they may exercise that right.” 

Military absentee ballots as well as civilian absentee ballots must be returned to the appropriate county clerk’s office by 6:00 p.m. on November 2, 2004.

The Postal Service’s goal with this new service is to assist the Military Postal Service in speeding up the handling of the absentee ballot mail so that all absentee ballots from military service members overseas are timely and properly delivered.

 The Military Postal Service provides postal services to Armed Services personnel, family members, and other Department of Defense personnel authorized to use military post offices in 82 countries worldwide.